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Founder of secret fight club dies after double shooting

Albert Difloriano was taken to the hospital in a critical condition after being shot on Friday.

Albert Difloriano was taken to the hospital in a critical condition after being shot on Friday. Photo: ABC

The founder of a secret fight club who was shot in the head in broad daylight in Sydney’s inner west on Friday afternoon has died.

Albert Difloriano, 55, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in a home on Victoria Street in Lewisham about 1pm on Friday and was taken to hospital.

He was discovered near another man with gunshot wounds, Alexander Stefanovich, 36, who was found on Henry Street and who died on the way to hospital.

Mr Difloriano was in a critical condition at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital but NSW Police said he succumbed to his wounds on Sunday night.

The 55-year-old is believed to be one of the founders of the Saint Michael Christian Brothers Fight Club, in Sydney’s inner west, which was once linked to a murder investigation.

One of its members, Antonio Bagnato, was in 2017 sentenced to death in a Thai court for the kidnapping and murder of a Hells Angels member alleged to have been a major drug trafficker.

In 2015, the former bikie Wayne Schneider was abducted outside his home by five men and was beaten to death and buried near the Thai coastal town of Pattaya.

Bagnato was found guilty of murder, deprivation of liberty and disposing of a body but had his sentence significantly reduced on appeal and was released in December 2018.

Detectives from the Inner West Police Command are still investigating Friday’s double shooting and are being assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.

Authorities said the two victims were known to each other.

The double shooting on Friday triggered an enormous police response, including a helicopter and riot squad officers.

NSW has seen at least 30 shootings in public places in the past five weeks.

Topics: Shootings
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